Iced Heart
by iggyt14
Summary: Prologue to Frozen Spirit. "Do you ever wonder if the moon gets lonely?" She could've sworn the moon was smiling down on her as she sat in that hospital bed. But even that didn't stop the coughing fit that rose up in her throat. "I wonder if Jack Frost will actully visit this year?" Bad summary, sorry. JackXOC
1. Prologue

He emptied the contents—or lack of thereof—of his stomach. For a spirit, he was surprised that he had the ability to even unwillingly regurgitate the contents of his stomach.

Jack Frost wiped the back of his hand against his mouth. Even so, his hands shook.

Why?

Just… Why?

Why did he have to see that? No one should have to see that.

No one should have to see all that blood.

That didn't stop pouring from her head, adding to the pool below her body. Still shaking, he grabbed the chilled wood of his staff. Leaning his weight against it, Jack used the staff as he stood up.

He had to help her.

However, the sight of the moon peeking out from behind the dark clouds was the last thing he remembered.

And how cold the snow beneath him was.

* * *

**Sorry that it's short... but it's the prologue...**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"Do you ever wonder if the moon gets lonely?" Alice Brooks thought aloud, her voice weak and shaking.

She pulled at the sleeves of her cerulean hoodie. The hospital room was cold, and the nurses wouldn't be back until forty minutes to check her blood glucose levels. She actually wasn't supposed to be wearing it, but the hoodie made her feel safe.

She was alone in the hospital room, which wasn't anything new. Aunt Camille and Uncle Lewis never came. They never did, and never would.

Alice sighed at the window, watching the moon escape the hold of the dark clouds.

"It's all by itself up there."

She cringed as a strike of pain streaked across the back of her head. Exactly where she had struck it against the edge of her desk when she had blacked out.

"I wonder if Jack Frost will come this year for once."

She could've sworn the moon was smiling at her.

* * *

North shook his head. The yetis laid Jack's body on the guest room's bed. Jack was paler than usual, and covered with snow. Sandy was trying to explain where he'd found the young guardian. From what he managed to understand, Jack had been found buried under snow three feet thick, unconscious. What North couldn't understand, depending if Sandy was actually explaining it, was why Jack was buried under snow, unconscious in someone's front yard. He would have to wait for the winter spirit to wake up.

The golden imp waved his arms around, catching the attention of the taller guardian. He followed the imp's pointing fingers upwards, until he was staring the moon down. He didn't fail to notice the wisps of soft moonlight that touched the young guardian.

"Man on moon?"

North paused, hearing Jack shift on the bed.

He would have to wait.

* * *

"It's been seven hours, North, the eggs aren't going to look after themselves."

"And teeth need looking after. I have to get back."

"I'm going to have to leave, mate, give me a-"

Jack let out a soft groan. The others gathered around the bed as the youngest guardian raised a hand to his head. With a helpful hand from North, he sat up. "What… where am I?"

The colorful fairy was the first to speak, "Sandy brought you to the North Pole."

"…why?"

"That's what we wanted to ask you, Jack." Tooth tilted her head to the side in concern, her sapphire wings folding behind her. "What happened?"

Jack remained quiet; attempting to remember what had caused him to pass out.

It was hot.

A cerulean hoodie.

But why had he stopped there?

_He wouldn't stop here, it's too warm._

The cerise hair that fell in front of a pale face.

The sad, innocent eyes that stared blankly.

And didn't close as she fell to the ground.

The blood.

All of the blood.

"I've got to help her!" Jack called, grabbing the cool wood of his staff, and sliding his legs off the quilted mattress. "She's dying!"

"Whoa, mate, who's dying?" Bunnymund replied forcefully, holding his hands out to block the winter spirit.

"Her! The-the girl! She was bleeding—her head!"

"That's not explaining anything!"

"But she-"

"Sandy!" North's voice boomed, "Was there a girl where you found Jack?"

The sand-made golden imp made a thoughtful face, before nodding. The shape of an ambulance formed above Sandy's head.

"She's safe?"

The imp looked off to the side and merely shrugged.

Jack paused, his hand gripping his staff. "Is she safe?" He stared down at the ground, "I have to know."

"You need to rest, Frost." North crossed his arms, a stern look spreading across his features.

"I watched—you weren't there! You didn't see what I did!" Jack sharply brought his voice up, "And unless you can tell me that she's safe, I have to leave!"

His name is Jack Frost.

The moon was the first thing he remembered. The moon smiling down on him as the cold surrounded him.

The last thing he remembered, was the girl in the cerulean hoodie.

* * *

**So, thanks to those people who followed. (You know who you are) Makes me happy that the story is at least worth reading. O.o**

**I might upload another chapter, but only if I finish a four page paper that's due for school...**

**O.o**


	3. Chapter 2

Alice held out her arm as the nurse pricked her finger, not saying anything about the hoodie she wasn't supposed to be wearing. She winced only slightly, she'd become used to this. She vaguely noticed the sound of her room's door clicking open. Glancing up, Alice noted the doctor enter carrying a new morphine drip bag for her IV.

"Good morning, Alice." The doctor walked over, handing off the bag to one of the nurses. "Your pulse is back to normal. But let's check your pupil reactions. That was quite a fall you took."

She didn't react until the cold hands, despite the fact they were covered in a pair of latex gloves, touched her face. The hands brushed her lengthy hair from her pale face. Her eyes focused on the pin light that shone on her face.

"Well, your eyes are back to normal." He continued on, putting the light away in his coat pocket. He proceeded to run his fingers against the stiches along her forehead. "Is there anything you want in particular to eat? The nurses told me that you didn't eat."

"I wasn't hungry." Alice admitted, pulling her face away from the cold hands prodding her forehead. "No reason to eat then."

"But you still need to eat, sweetie."

"Yes, sir, Dr. Adler."

The room went quiet as the bustling of the hospital workers left the room, leaving her alone in the room.

Alice turned to the window yet again.

Even at seven-eighteen in the morning during November, she could see the moon. It hung precariously, smiling down at her.

With the wicked smile it had always had.

Ever since she'd been told her parents weren't coming back, and that she was going to live with her aunt and uncle.

Then again, that was the first time she'd actually taken time to look at the moon.

"I don't think Jack Frost would ever show up here."

The constant beeping that was the heart monitor, was causing her eyes to slowly droop, effectively making her miss the fern-like swirls and designs that Frosted on the windows.

Her name is Alice Brooks.

She is terminally ill with a genetic disease that was recessive on both of her parent's sides. She isn't expected to see her eighteenth birthday.

She is seventeen.

* * *

**Okay, finished the paper! Just for you guys, notbecauseit'sdueandIhadtoanyway. AHEM Never mind that last part. But seriously, I did finish it as fast as possible for ya guys.**

**Then took the time to type this up. **

**Oh, just so you know, all of this is handwritten before I type it all up. O.o**

**Dunno if I'll have the next part up tonight or not, we'll have to see. Considering that's when I'm hoping the short chapters end.**


	4. Chapter 3

Jack floated carefully outside the window that the girl in the cerulean hoodie was in. It had taken him an entire night and two hours of the morning to seek her out.

His patterned frost stuck to the window that he looked through. Growing quickly annoyed with the inability to see through the window, Jack pressed his hand against the pane, giving a smirk as it gave release and opened. He was careful to make sure his feet made no sound as he crossed the tiled floor.

Not that it would make much a difference if she didn't believe in him.

But still, Jack padded across the floor until he stood at the foot of the girl's bed. the hospital bed that engulfed her small frame.

The blood.

All the blood that seeped out of her head.

Her innocent eyes were closed now, and the only thing telling Jack she was still alive, was the constant beep of the heart monitor.

He took this chance to study her. She had shoulder length tangled cerise hair that was splayed softly over the clean white pillow. There was a line of seven stitches running across the right side of her forehead. The skin surrounding the stiches was raised and tinted pink.

And there were flecks of un-cleaned blood still present on her skin.

Feeling a soft shudder work it's way through his body, Jack waived it the feeling off. Instead his eyes were drawn to the hoodie she wore over the hospital gown.

The cerulean hoodie.

It was no mistake that this was the same girl that he'd witness almost bleed out and di-

But what was her name?

He was sure that it had been called before he lost all senses, however the inner recesses of his mind seemed to be purposely blocking them out. Jack padded closer to the bed. his ice colored eyes caught sight of the clipboard hooked to the end of the bed. From what he remembered, that clipboard should have the name of the girl on it.

Flipping the cover off, he smirked when he remembered correctly.

"So you're Alice Brooks?" He made sure to keep his voice low. "Let's see what els-"

"Make sure you give her the medicine."

"Yes, sir, Dr. Adler."

He dropped the clipboard, cringing at the harsh sounds it made once it contacted the floor. There wasn't much he could do unless the adults believed in him. Jack didn't want to create an uproar with a floating clipboard and an open window. He headed for the window, slipping out of the room silently.

He was glad the frost had dissipated since. It made looking throught the glass an easy talk.

"Dr. Adler! Why are we giving her this?!"

"Keep your mouth shut, and do it. We're being paid to make her better. This is making her _better_."

"This is killing her!"

"Making. Her. _Better_."

"Dr. Adler!"

"I'll go find someone else more competent."

"But-"

"Then you should be able to give her the medicine." He watched in silence as a man clad in a white lab coat entered. The man ran a hand through his short, sandy colored hair. The doctor paused and picked up the clipboard, commenting, "Why was this on the floor? I thought I put this up."

Jack stared on as the doctor replaced the clipboard back at the end of the bed.

"Why is there frost on the floor? Did the window blow open?" The doctor approached the panes, "No wonder, they're unlocked." With a click, the lock set into place with a simple flick of the man's wrist. "There we go."

"Oh, thanks, _kind sir_, for locking the window." Jack muttered, knowing he'd have a limited time before the frost would reappear.

"This amount should break down her immune system. In three months the medication will build up… this'll work." Dr. ClosesWindows murmured, pacing the floor. "Camille will need to know this." He began to walk away from the bed, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

Jack pressed his hand to the glass, watching the girl turn in her sleep. His staff was clutched tightly in his hand, brushing against the tree outside the window.

Alice Brooks. The girl in the cerulean hoodie.

"There you are, Frosty."

* * *

**O.o **

**It's a bit longer. And Jack got to see her again.**

**Thanks to all the peoples who read this story. Makes me happy that people like it.**

**Mmk, gonna see if I can get the next chapter written…**


	5. Chapter 4

_The wind pushed him along with the clouds. He was in a passing storm—the one he'd just finished with in three states up._

_"Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques_

_Dormez Vous? Dormez Vous?_

_Sonnez lematines, sonnez lamatines_

_Ding, ding, dong… ding, ding, dong."_

_It was nothing louder than a mere whisper in his ears. Shifting, he dropped to the ground below him. _

_ "Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?"_

* * *

"Bunny…" Jack turned to face the oversized bunny. "Why are you here?"

"North sent me after you right after you ran out of the workshop." Bunnymund shrugged. "Didja find her?"

Jack jerked his thumb to the window, "She's safe. But…"

_This is killing her._

"But what, Frosty?" The rabbit guardian's nose twitched.

"I need your help." The grip on his staff grew tighter, "Something's not right."

Jack watched the contemplation on the elder guardian's face.

"Let me ask a question first: Are you going to do somethin' stupid anyway?"

"I wouldn't call it stupid."

"Is that a 'yes' then, mate?"

Jack's lip curled up in a smirk, which quickly dropped when the winter spirit added, "I need to get inside. There's a clipboard on her bed I need to read."

"Why?

"Something's fishy with her doctor."

The bunny guardian nodded, "So what do you want me to do?"

"He's talking to someone, I need a distraction. He locked the window, so I have to go the long way around."

Jack joined the other guardian on the ground. He had already begun to think of what he needed to look for.

Which he was shortly brought out of when Bunnymund asked, "Can she see us?"

"Huh?"

"Ya heard me, mate."

Jack couldn't answer, so instead shrugged.

"Be careful, Frosty."

"I was going to tell _you_ that."

* * *

_Jack Frost noted the heat that roamed the ground, despite the fact of the current November month. Then again, he didn't visit this part of the states often. It was always so hot around here._

_But that was definitely not why he stopped here. It was the music—the singing he'd heard. The song from his earliest memories._

_His clear lucid eyes caught the sight of the owner of the voice._

_She was sitting on her porch, arms folded across her stomach. His bare feet felt the gravel beneath him that made up the pathway. Jack stopped a few feet in front of her, studying her feature. What struck him the hardest was how skinny she was. It wasn't normal. She appeared to be nothing more than skin barely hanging upon her bones._

_The girl lifted her head, staring in the trickster's direction._

_With clear, cobalt eyes._

_So innocent._

* * *

Jack had never enjoyed the feeling of non-believers phasing through him, but the non-believers were easy to sneak past. That is, if you call bluntly walking through the halls to the third floor, sneaking. He'd left Bunnymund with the task of finding Dr. ClosesWindows—AKA Dr. Adler—and hear his conversation.

Making it to the third floor, the winter spirit paused, scanning the hallways for the one room he cared about.

He found it moments later, recognizing the nurse's voice that sounded from inside.

"… what is Dr. Adler thinking? This does will kill her!"

"Then don't give it to her." He mocked, "Wouldn't that be the best?

Jack smirked his signature smirk at the fact that the nurse had left the door open. It allowed him to slip inside the room.

"But I can't lose this job!"

Jack leaned against his staff, raising an eyebrow.

"But I can't just knowingly kill her!"

"Then _don't_" The winter spirit called again.

* * *

Bunnymund had no trouble finding the doctor that Jack had described. He found the doctor in question in a barren hallway, pressing a phone to his face.

"Hello? Camille?" His ears perked up at the sound. "This is James… James Adler."

Doctor Adler paced around. He nodded.

"Yes, I'm giving her something to suppress her immune system to dangerous levels. She won't last long."

Bunnymund could faintly hear an annoyed response over the muffled line.

"I… I just wanted to confirm something… my, uh… my cut in the fortune?"

Now the person on the other side of the line was yelling.

"I understand. I do my job, you do yours. We get the fortune… Alright, goodbye." The doctor shoved his phone into one of his pockets, sighing loudly.

The nurse held the needle to the tip of the upside down bottle of medicine with shaking hands. Jack took a step forward, standing a single foot away from the now silent nurse.

"I… I've got too." The nurse muttered, his voice echoing his actions. "I…need this job."

Jack's eyes widened at the sight of the liquid being sucked into the needle. He clinched his hand around his staff.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

**Le boo.**

**O.o**

**Thanks to those who reviewed. Made my day to sit down and read through them. And thanks to those peoples who favorite and/or follow…**

**Soooos….. Thanks for even just reading this story.**

**O.o**


	6. Chapter 5

I'm so sorry…"

The mere moment before the needle touched Alice's pale skin, Jack's hand shot out, grabbing the needle and slinging it across the room. He was satisfied when the sound of the needle shattering echoed in the room. The shocked silence in the room was broken with the girl's soft shifting.

"Wha… What just happened?" The nurse said with a shaken voice. "The… the needle just…" A nervous laugh erupted from the male nurse. "I…"

That was when the nurse fell promptly to the floor. Jack raised an eyebrow at the fallen caregiver.

"Jack, we need to go."

He turned to face the Australian.

"Why?"

"The doc's coming."

"And? He can see us."

"_There's something I need to discuss with ya, mate_."

Jack leaned down, taking the bottle of medicine from the nurse's loose hands. "I gotta grab the clipboard. I'll meet you at the pole."

One of the bunny's ears perked up, "We don't have time for that, mate."

The winter spirit let out a strangled cry as he was yanked through the rabbit hole that appeared in the floor. Jack mused that he was glad he'd thought to hold on tight to the medication. There wasn't any way that he was going to let them give this to her.

He watched the hold close over the two of them. He was thrown roughly onto soft green grass, his staff flying from his hands. He lost a hold of the bottle, blindly hearing it roll away.

"Well… that was interesting." Jack commented, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head.

"They're trying to kill 'er, Frosty."

"Figured out that much."

"For a corrupt reason."

"Such as?"

"The doc said somethin' about a fortune."

"What?"

"Yeah."

Jack stayed silent for a moment, staring at the the bright colored grass. "Wish I'd gotten that clipboard."

"You mean this one?" A grin was brought to the bunny's face at the winter spirit's reaction.

"When did you…?"

"Before I shoved you down the rabbit hole."

"What does it say?"

"She's…"

The look that grew on his face did not bode well for the trickster.

"Terminally ill."

"Wha-"

"Alice Brooks is going to die anyway."

_"Ding… ding… dong…"_

* * *

**o.O**

**So sorry it's short…**

**Okies… want to letcha know that I have region tryouts tomorrow and it'll take up most of my day. I'll have lotsa written, but won't be able to upload until later… sowwy.**

**Oh, and would like to personally thank Theta-McBride… shim's been reviewing to my story from the beginning ish… I thank the others too, but shim's been really supportive. (I say 'shim' as to not offend.) Please lemme know if I've forgotten someone who's reviewed more than once. I'd feel bad knowing I forgot you… Shim just really stuck out…**

**Ranting… I'm apparently good at that.**

**Anyways… there should be more than one chapter tomorrow.**

**O.o**


	7. Chapter 6

"She's…"

The winter spirit's world paused. Alice Brooks, a girl he'd first heard singing. That was the reason he'd stop to see. It was the reason he had stuck around her small home to see if he could learn more about her. The reason he'd witnessed her unfortunate accident. The reason he found himself so intrigued by here.

Wait… what?

He only wanted to find her so he could make sure she was safe.

But now.

He could even bring himself to think of leaving her alone now.

Terminally ill.

Which meant she was going to die no matter what he did? No matter what anyone did?

"Jack, you alright?

He was abruptly brought out of his thoughts with a soft, furry hand on his shoulder.

"We're supposed to be guardians of children… and we can't even save one."

"Jack, we can't do anything about it."

"How long?"

Bunnymund tilted his head slightly, "For?"

"How much longer until she…"

The sound of flipping pages sounded, before a rough, "Nine months."

Only nine months. Not even a year.

"Is she going to suffer?"

"Doesn't say, mate."

Jack ran his hands down the smooth wood of his aged staff thoughtfully. There had to be something he could do. Anything.

"Tell Sandy to send good dreams that way."

"Where are ya going?"

"Back there."

"What are you going to do? You can't help her, mate."

With a chuckle, the trickster simply answered, "I'm Jack Frost. I'll think of something!"

* * *

North turned to the window once more. The moon was rapidly letting in light, a foreboding light that stuck to everything.

What was happening? The last time the man on moon did this, was when it choose Jack to be the newest Guardian. Even then it wasn't so… crushing.

He would have to wait until the right moment for the man on moon to explain.

* * *

The boy with the snow-kissed hair and frost bitten eyes. The one with skin as pale as the moon that invaded her dreams more than once. He was always laughing, swinging a frost covered stick that crooked at the end.

He was always having the fun she couldn't have.

Ever since Dr. Adler diagnosed her with this dreadful disease. Four years ago, and three months after she'd been told her parents had been murdered.

The fun she'd missed so much.

And here was the boy again, swinging his staff around and laughing. She never failed to notice the smile plastered to his face. Or the gleam of happiness that rang clearly in his eyes.

"Come on, play with me!" He called to her.

"I can't, I'm sick."

"So? Laughter is the best medicine!"

"I'm too sick."

"Nut you never play."

"I'm too sick."

"Live a little1 Have some fun with me."

She kept quiet, watching the boy run around her.

"Please? How 'bout that. Something you'll never hear again. Feel special."

"Go ahead, play for me." She told the boy with a small smile of her own.

Without another word, the boy shot up into the sky, leaving a trail of frost and snow wherever he went.

Frost…

But of course, she always woke up there, returning Alice to the dim hospital room. The barren walls mocking her with a beige whiteness.

The heart monitor still beeped at the same rate, giving no indication that anything had changed. Not that she'd expected anything to.

It was always the same. Get sent to the hospital; wake up in a white room.

She turned to the window, gazing absently out it. It was daytime now, but the window was impossible now. The November air could never create such frost.

Frost?

Like the boy?

* * *

Jack smiled, dropping his hand from the window pane. Alice was still alive, meaning the doctor had taken the hint.

At least for now.

If you could call a passed out nurse a hint.

Either way, there was something he had to do.

But, being Jack Frost, he could only do so much. It depended on whether or not she believed in him.

Not that he expected her to.

* * *

**O.o**

**Okie, so I apologize for not uploading more than one, but I ended up being in the audition room for more than four hours, and then after that, I had to work on tearing down rooms. And for it still being short…**

**Tell ya what… I'll hurry up and write the rest of the next chapter and try to upload it really quick.**

**Oh… and a shout-out to ****_Cloudgirl9_**** and ****_anony mouse 101_****… those two are awesome too.**

**By the ways, if you want to see a certain fluffy-ness scene, go ahead and PM me. Although, I make absolutely no promises. (This is a little early for it right now, though.)**

**So, off to writing I go.**

**o.O**


	8. Chapter 7

**Before I start typing, I want to apologize for the several grammatical and other spelling errors. Didn't notice them until too late.**

* * *

-4 days later-

"Welcome home, Mistress Alice."

"What would you like for dinner, Miss Alice?"

"Are you better now?"

"I am, thank you. I would like whatever's available… I don't want to put you out of your way." She gave a soft smile. "However… soup does sound good."

She gave a nod and took a slow stride faster than everyone.

But no one ever say the boy who disappeared around the side of the house. No noticed the frost he left in his wake either.

* * *

She picked up the next pencil, pressing it to the pad of paper. Drawing was a pastime of hers, considering she couldn't play outside much. Alice watched the color spread onto the page, sweeping a cold white across the page.

Finally glancing down at the picture, she smiled weakly.

Snow drifting to the ground all around a figure poised carefully above a frozen lake. She placed the drawing aside, pushing away from the desk. Dinner wouldn't be served for another hour at the least. She abruptly decided to get some fresh air. No one would advise against it, considering they encouraged it.

Then again, if she wanted to skydive, they'd arrange it at a moment's notice. Them being her 'servants'; they were actually her parent's advisors and her caregivers that her parent's picked out. Definitely not her Aunt and Uncle. Those two only came when it was convenient for them. Then being sometime when she's really weak and bedridden.

She pulled on the cerulean hoodie, ignoring the marks of red that lined her skinny arms. They'd go away. They always did.

Jack opened his eyes at the sound of a door opening. He let out a smile at the sight of the girl finally emerging. He'd been waiting for two hours since she'd arrived home. He dropped to the ground beside her, one hand slung in his jacket's pocket.

"Y'know, you sure do move slowly." He commented, swinging his staff out.

"I know." Alice said the words softly, swinging her legs out in front of her, playfully.

Jack's eyes, widened, slowing his world once more. She had replied to him. The way a person would if they could see him. Did that mean she believed in him? Did she- "You can see me?" The words escaped his lips before he could possibly stop them.

Alice turned back to stare at him, a weak smile on her face, "Of course. You're just like the boy from that dream."

"Dream?"

"You're always dancing and having fun in the moonlight."

"You… you can actually see me?" He muttered again, disbelief lining his words.

The smile dropped from her face, "Should I not be able to? Is there something wrong with that?"

Jack shook his head quickly, "There's no problem, just… kinda surprised right now… that's all."

"I still can't play. I'm too sick.

"I know, but isn't laughter the best medicine?" A smirk rose on his face.

_Nine more months._

The thought hid in the back of this mind, but he knew it was there. But right now, Jack was too worried about having fun to care. It was almost natural to have any amount of fun around this girl.

"Hey! You're making me cold!"

_Nine more months._

* * *

Bunnymund shook off the frozen precipitation. He had to report to North on what Jack was up to now. The Frost-boy had left him with the clipboard and a bottle of some sort of medicine. And that was it. Nothing more.

He searched through the lower floors of the workshop, not expecting to find the elder guardian. Instead, he found the elder in front of the globe staring up at the uncharacteristically daunting moon.

"North."

"Welcome back." The large man turned, eyes flickering around the rabbit. "Where's Jack?"

"He decided to stay with her for right now."

"What? Why?"

"That's why I'm here." Bunnymund waved off the waddling pair of elves that held up a plate of partially eaten cookies for him. "Jack might not be back for up ta nine months."

"For what reason?"

"Hold on, mate. Not _that_ reason." The bunny waved his  
paws around, "The girl that Jack saw get hurt, she's not looking too good." The rabbit held out the clipboard, "We stopped an attempted murder, well, Jack did, and got this too." He watched North flip through the pages in confusion, "'er name's Alice Brooks. She's terminally ill and won't get to see her next birthday."

"So, Jack's… worried?"

"I think he might be scared."

North nodded, drawing his attention back upwards to gaze at the moon. "Man on moon has been…"

"Quiet?"

"Quite opposite." The elder stroked his beard thoughtfully, "Loud. Yet still quiet."

The moon seemed to be smiling.

* * *

**O.o**

**Whooo… done….**

**Wanted to get a second update today for not having them ready earlier. Sooooo, here.**

**See Chap. Six's Author's Note.**

**Sorry it's up so late. And still short.**

**o.O**


	9. Chapter 8

"There's more of people like me, if you can call Bunny a person. He's more-"

"Of a bunny?"

"Well, yeah." He chuckled.

The two of them were sitting in the quiet realm of the wooded area behind Alice's small house. The bench they were sitting on was surrounded in snow, dropping the temperature around them a few dozen degrees.

"You've nailed him right on the head." Jack shifted on the bench, his crooked staff shifting as well across his lap. "Then there's North, Sandy, and Tooth."

"Santa Clause, the Sandman, and the Tooth Fairy, right?" Alice swung her legs around, kicking up some of the flurries, watching them float carelessly to the ground.

"Yeah, that's them. I'm surprised someone at your age still believes." Jack commented truthfully.

"My parent's told me to never stop believing."

"You seem close to your parents, are they going to come home anytime soon?"

"Nope. They won't be coming back ever. They're sleeping comfortably six feet underground." She said softly, giving a quick cough.

"Oh… What happened?"

"Car crash." Alice shrugged, brushing snow off her cerulean hoodie.

Jack nodded softly, pressing his hands together. He stood, beckoning her to join her. She did so, a weak smile on her face.

Alice didn't expect to be smacked in the face with a ridiculous amount of the frosty precipitation. Or falling to the six inches at her feet.

"Jack!"

"Snowball fight!" He shouted, slinging another ball of snow at her, hearing it hit dead on it's target.

"Jack!"

He turned back to be smacked with a snowball himself.

For someone living in one of the hottest states in the States, Alice sure had a good snowball throwing arm.

A wide smile formed as another snowball came sailing towards his face. He promptly ducked, having the ball pass him. "You'll have to try harder than that to hi-" He was silenced with yet another snowball to his face.

She laughed softly, shakily dodging the onslaught of snowballs.

And smiled that smile.

That completely innocent smile.

* * *

"Adler told me that plan would work. But it didn't work. What now?" Camille crossed her arms. "We can't give that child a chance to live until her next birthday."

"Because she'll get the money?"

"Yes! We _need_ that money!"

"Why?"

"That brat doesn't deserve it."

"But she'd _their_ daughter."

"It doesn't matter. I thought my brother would have the brains to leave the money to me."

"He did really love his daughter."

"Doesn't mean a brat gets all that money!"

"Honey, calm down."

"Someone's helping that brat!"

"You figure that how?"

"The nurse said someone took the needle from his hands!"

"Well-"

"It's only a matter of time before she stops taking her medicine."

"Don't worry. The nurse just had too much pressure."

"Adler better get this right."

"We'll have to see, honey."

"She _will_ be dead before summer is over."

* * *

Swinging his staff, he restocked his ammo stash, slinging the snowball he had in his grasp.

He wanted to keep that smile on her face. It was so fitting. A wide smile lighting her face.

Getting pelted with his own ammo, Jack took to the sky, only dropping back to the ground directly in front of her. Startled, she dropped her newest snowball. He stared down at her small frame. She was an entire head shorter than he. Alice stared up at him, her clear, cobalt eyes staring into his lucid ones. Her cheeks were freshly tinted pink from the frigid temperature, and her cerise hair was specked with snow. With the hand not occupied by his staff, Jack reached up and brushed a single strand of hair from her face.

He was surprised to suddenly find himself pressing his lips to her strangely soft ones.

Immediately backing off and taking a step backwards, he glanced at Alice, who was still standing just as confused as he was.

Which was promptly forgotten about as he shoved a handful of snow into her face.

"Miss Alice, are you—where'd all this snow come from?!"

The two of them turned to the caregiver dressed in a black shirt with a bow tie on it. Hardly dress up.

"You better get going." He commented, motioning to the caregiver, "I'll still be around later."

She gave him one more glance before slowly walking to meet up with the caregiver.

Jack watched her figure slowly disappear from the snowy alcove, leaning against his staff, arms crossed over each other.

Of course he'd be here later, there was no way he'd leave her alone.

He had to make sure she was safe.

Yeah, that was it.

_Nine more months._

* * *

**O.o**

**Sorry it's so late, but I've been busy all day, but I still wanted to give ya a chapter.**

**Still see Chapter six's AN.**

**And shout out to ****_Robin-is-totally-whelming_**** too… Shim needs one too.**

**Alright, I'll be sure to update tomorrow too.**

**o.O**


	10. Chapter 9

Jack leaned against his staff, keeping quiet as to not disturb the silence that surrounded him. He silently raised a hand up to his face, brushing his fingertips against his lips. A red heat rose on his face when he remembered what he did. He quickly dismissed the thought when that sound of a burrow forming echoed in the alcove.

"Oi! What's with all the snow on the ground!?"

Jack motioned to himself, "I'm _Jack Frost_. I happen to like snow." He shrugged.

"Geez, Frosty! I just left the Pole! I thought I was heading to the Southern States!"

"It'll melt before tomorrow." He answered, crossing his arms to hug his staff, "What do you want?"

"North says to return as soon as ya can." Bunnymund leaned over, scratching his neck with a hind paw. "Ya better go see him, Frosty."

"Eh, I will… eventually. Is that all?"

"Why is your face red?"

"I… uh, got hit with my own snowball… twice."

The elder guardian gave the younger a look that he didn't believe him.

"North says to be onna look out for Pitch."

"Why?"

To that, he received a shrug. Well, wasn't that helpful?

"I've got some eggs to look after." The bunny gave a wave to the winter spirit before falling into the open rabbit hole at his feet.

"So… that was a wasted five minutes."

In twenty minutes, the snow would start to melt. The water that resulted would run through the terrain until it came across the stream half a mile south. In seven hours, the snow would be melted completely, and the water would be added to the stream, overflowing its banks.

In seven hours, Alice would have one less day to live. One day closer to _that_ day. The day he didn't want to remember about.

The day she wouldn't wake up.

But was that the reason he kissed her?

The first girl to ever believe in him that was older than twelve, and it was almost an immediate response. An immediate response that caused him to-

"What's wrong with me?"

* * *

_"Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?_

_Dear Jack Frost, Dear Jack Frost._

_The mourning bells are tolling; the mourning bells are tolling…_

_Ding, ding, dong… ding, ding… dong."_

Alice sunk into the warm water, submerging most of her snow tinted skin. The beginnings of frost bite stinging at her fingertips. She blew at the soft bubbles that collected on the top of the water. She could feel the remnants of the snow melting in the steam that rose from the water in her hair.

In twenty minutes, she would be brought her medicine with a single cup of water. In twenty minutes, she would have to get out of her bath and lay miserably on her bed. The medicine always made her feel worse. But if it kept her from feeling the muscles deteriorating underneath her skin, she would continue to take the ill-tasting medicine.

Aunt Camille.

She was her guardian, being the only related relative. There weren't' any sisters or brothers on her mom's side.

But, that was not what her mind was really focusing on. She was trying to figure out where this boy came from. A boy who looks exactly like the one from her dreams. But dreams only project figures that one has already seen before. Which meant she'd seen this boy before?

"Miss Alice, time for your medicine. You should get out of the bath now."

"Alright…"

The moon was out now, staring down at her with a smirk.

Well, she assumed it was a smirk.

It's hard to tell when it's a satellite orbiting in the gravitational pull of earth.

Just saying.

* * *

**Name: **Alice Nix Brooks

**B: **11-2-95

**Eye: **Blue

**Hair: **Red

**Mother maiden name:** Rachael Heather Andrews

**Father name:** Alexander John Brooks

North stopped reading, not wanting to read the rest. It only stated the symptoms of her illness, the medicine prescribed, and other various medical information. He set the clipboard back down on his desk, covering more of the wooden desk.

Alice Brooks.

Where had he heard that name before?

Something about a Brooks aired on the television—what, four years ago? Something about a child having both parents killed and something about some will that was left. He remembered distinctly because the story ran on Christmas Eve. So the child that remained after her parents were killed was placed in the care of the only available relative. From what he remembered, the investigators suspected foul play, but the investigation never took off.

Her medical file says that she was diagnosed by her physician, James D. Adler, three months after her parents died.

_Exactly three months._

Something wasn't right.

Other than the fact that the Doctor had already attempted to kill her.

But still.

"Hey, North."

"Jack! Welcome back. I trust you enjoyed your stay?"

"Of course, thwarting evil doctor's attempted murders after passing out is great. Really gets my blood flowing!" The winter spirit swung his arm.

"Good! Guardian material." The elder responded with a smile.

"I'm still going back."

"I know."

"Bunny told me you needed to see me."

"I did ask him to tell you, that's true." North turned back to his desk, shoving a stack of papers to the side, nearly knocking them off.

"Well?"

"Jack, she is not…"

"You don't have to remind me."

"What do you expect to be able to do, Jack? Tell me?"

"I'm Jack Frost. I'll think of something!" The trickster shouted, slamming his staff down on the ground. "I have to at least try!" With that, the winter spirit took to the skies and vanished with the wind.

"I _know_, Jack. But… you can't keep using that excuse."

_The mourning bells are tolling…_

* * *

**O.o**

**Got another chapter done. And it's up before ten this time.**

**It's not the best, I know, but it needed to be written.**

**"Mexican wuz here" (Don't worry, he wrote that note exactly like that himself.)**

**So, might get another chapter up, but I might not. If I don't get 'nother up tonight, there will definitely be at least one tomorrow. I mean, after I get done with my band concert. I gots a solo.**

**By the way, this chapter's over 1000 words...**

**o.O**


	11. Chapter 10

Jack smiled softly, running the pad of his thumb aver her hand that rested in his own. "That's it; just keep your legs straight. If you bend your knees too much, you won't be able to skate."

The two of them were standing in the center of the pond, bathed in moonlight. Alice shook her head, refusing to move. The majority of her clothing, being her hoodie, shorts, socks, and her newest addition: her snow white ice skates, were all quickly kissed with a light snow fall.

"I won't let you fall through. Just relax." He whispered assuredly, the smile still present on his face.

"But the ice…"

"Won't break. I froze this over again before you even got here. It won't break." He pulled her to slide a little forward. "I won't let you get hurt-"

"But _I_ will!"

A blast of obsidian sand wrapped around Alice, tearing her from his tight grasp.

"Alice!"

The faint sound of cracking ice sounded, echoing loudly in his mind.

"_Alice!_" Jack's eyes shot open, scanning the surrounding area. He was back in the snowy alcove. There was a new layer of snow and frost blanketing the ground and frost sparking up the trees within a fourteen meter radius.

"Yes?"

He jerked his eyes to the cerulean hoodie clad girl in front of him. She was leaning over on her knees, her tangled cerise hair falling in her face.

"Can you actually dream?"

"Apparently." He clutched his staff, closing his eyes and attempting to slow his breathing.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

"I… don't know."

"Oh." She straightened herself, revealing a bag on her shoulder.

"What's in the bag?"

"Some yummy hot chocolate, and my wallet." She jammed her hands in her pockets, "Was going to go shopping for Christmas presents, but it's too early right now." She passed him, joining him on the snow covered bench, letting out a soft cough. "I figured you'd be out here."

"Hey, I said I'd still be here." Jack wrapped his fingers around the staff, "I didn't like to you."

Not that he could.

She was too innocent.

"I can see that." She set the bag in her lap. "I _sick_ not blind.?"

"Laughter _is_ the best medicine, y'know."

"You've told me once before."

"_Only_ once."

"Maybe twice." Alice pulled out a green colored thermos, twisting the cap off. He watched the warm liquid pour into the cup, steam enveloping the air. The green cup was raised to her rosy lips, and when she had finished she mumbled, "Nummy!"

"What?" He couldn't help but laugh at her expression. "What does that mean?"

"It's good!"

Jack was laughing to hard to notice if she had said anything after that. "For someone so sick, you sure don't act like it."

"I don't think my parent would want me to go down without a fight."

"It's better that way." He agreed, passing a hand against her back in a playful pat.

He didn't expect her to fall completely out of her seat and to the snow covered ground, her cup sliding from her grasp and to the ground, staining the snow cocoa.

"Alice!" Jack reached for her, throwing his staff to the ground, not caring where it landed.

His hand paused when Jack noticed a purple and black patch of skin peeking out from beneath her cerulean hoodie. Skin once un-seeable. In the exact spot he had pegged her the day before with a snowball.

"Ow." Alice mumbled into the fresh snow. "Balance is not my strong suit."

Jack remained silent, quietly picking up his crooked staff, until Alice was sitting back on the bench. "Alice, where did you get those bruises?"

"A certain winter spirit that I met yesterday named Jack threw come snowballs at me." She poured a replacement cup of the steaming liquid from her thermos.

"You didn't tell me you would get marks like those."

"You shouldn't worry. I can't have fun that often."

"But-"

"Jack Frost!" She took another sip, "I'm going to town in twenty minutes. You have exactly that long to get your funness back together."

Funness?  
Jack gripped his staff tightly as he watched her figure vanish from the snowy alcove.

It didn't matter what he did.

I didn't matter what excuses he made.

She only had nine months—not even—to live.

In the time that it takes for life to come into this world, she was going to be taken out.

And even if she wasn't sick, she couldn't always have fun and play with him.

She would die anyway.

He gazed upwards, catching sight of the moon staring down at him.

"You gave me that dream, didn't you?" With no reply, he scoffed, "Why just mock me? What does this mean?"

He still got no reply.

But he knew the moon was smiling at him now.

What did it mean?

* * *

**O.o**

**It's prolly not a lot, but I got home exactly 7 minutes and wanted to type this up for ya guys.**

**Oh, and ****_Anony mouse 101_****, you'll have to decide whatchoo think it's gonna be. If I told you if it was going to be a happy or tragic, it would completely ruin the story… sowwy.**

**Still feel free to send me any fwuffyness ideas/scenes you want to see. No promises, though.**

**Sorry it's up so late… again.**

**o.O**


	12. Chapter 11

Frankly, he'd never liked shopping.

This statement stayed true even now as followed the small framed girl through the many stores, watching her buy very little. Alice mainly looked, not wastefully spending the money she knew she had. With each purpose, the few she made—all of them being for her servants and housekeepers—they would be taken to the car that waited for her.

Currently, Jack was watching her stare at a little toy train moving silently on a rail.

"Hey, Jack…"

"I'm still here."

"No? Really?" She gave the train a small push, helping it up the slope it was climbing. "Weill you stay up with me tonight after I take my medicine?" Alice coughed, the cough being a little more harsher than the once beforehand.

"Sure, if you want."

He could lie and say that he didn't want to see what happened when she took her medicine, considering that the medicine only treated symptoms. And her condition was only getting worse than the day before. If he didn't know better, he would've thought the medicine was making her worse. But she seemed to be doing well now.

"Jack…"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for being my friend, considering you've only known me for three days 'nd all."

"Are you heading back now?"

"Mmhmm."

"Alright, I'll meet you there." He called, promptly taking to the skies. He floated among the clouds for a moment, making sure Alice got into the vehicle safely.

Once inside, he allowed the wind to take hold of him and carry him in the direction of her small house on the edge of a wooded area.

But she was right.

It _had_ only been three days since he'd really met her. He didn't count the whole head injury incident as really meeting her, even though it had led him to find her. But still, it was only three days. Jack hardly knew anything about her, but he could've sworn it was natural to play and have fun with her. It was so natural.

Just natural.

I was even natural to kiss her, to feel her lips against his, no matter how warm she was to him.

But it had only been three days.

Three days in a limited nine months—not even.

Why did she have to be so ill?  
Why couldn't she have been normal?  
But… even then she would die far before he could ever think of it.

But in three days, she had become natural to be around.

Jack didn't want to make her smile fall.

She had a wonderful smile.

* * *

She rose out of the bath, warm water dripping off her pale body. She wrapped a fluffy blue towel around her body. In two minutes, she would have to take her medicine.

In two minutes, she would regret getting out of the bath.

Alice padded her way to her bedroom, holding the towel close. Once inside, she ignored the purple skin and blotches of red that lined her body, and pulled on a simple tank top and athletic shorts. It was the way she'd always dressed to sleep since she had begun the medicine.

With good reason.

Alice turned to hear the light tapping on her window. Brushing the curtains to the side, she unlocked the window. The winter spirit slipped in, shutting the window behind him.

"It's hot in here."

"I know. Eric will-" She coughed loudly, "-put the fire out."

"Shouldn't you stay warm?" He raised an eyebrow as he lounged against her window sill.

"I'll be fine without it."

He was going to protest, but he was silenced with a brief knocking to her door.

In less than one minute, she would have to take her medicine.

* * *

Jack knew her medicine never made her feel good. She had told him once before at some point in a story. (He couldn't tell you which one, they all looked alike to him he'd admit.)

But this.

This was…

Beyond everything he'd expected.

Alice was curled up on her bed, sheets and blankets shoved to the floor. Her chest rose and fell just as fast. Her body trembled. Her normally bright, innocent eyes were closed shut.

And it had happed so quickly. It had been exactly four minutes since she'd swallowed those three pills.

He stood in the m idle of the room now, watching as crimson patches rose on her skin, contrasting with the purple blotches of skin.

"I wanna go home…"

He remained silent.

"… I want my mommy…."

He took a step closer to her bed.

"… I want my daddy."

He shuffled through the snow white sheets, kicking them to the side.

"It hurts!"

He wanted to wipe away the tears that streaked down her face.

He was still silent as he sat down at the edge of her tall bed, his back facing her.

"I'm so sorry, Alice." Jack whispered, hanging his head.

He let out a soft hiss at the hand that burned through his hoodie and onto his flesh.

Alice was burning up with a fever.

"You're cold…"

"I'm Jack _Frost_."

Not that it mattered if he made that excuse anymore.

He couldn't do anythin-

Anything but cool down her body temperature.

He _was_ Jack Frost.

Jack turned, sliding completely into the bed, and setting his staff at the foot of the mattress. He quietly gathered the shaking girl in his arms, pressing her as much as he possibly could against his cool body.

Jack ignored the rising heat that streaked across his face, and nestled his nose in her hair, trapping her burning face against his icy neck and chest. _Peppermint?_ He slightly shook his head, shaking away the thought.

This was the thing that Alice went through every night for four years. And even despite that, she still believed.

Why?  
He dismissed the thought, feeling the heat against his body lessen slightly.

He was Jack Frost.

He'd think of something.

And figure out what that dream that the man on the moon gave him meant.

But he failed to see the streams of obsidian sand that swept against the window.

"So that is how it is going to be?"

The shadowed and blackened figure stared up at the sky, the full moon rising in the November night.

But still, the moon smirked down at the figure, revealing nothing.

Yet all.

* * *

**o.O**

**Sorry it's short, but I felt like I needed to end the chapter here. But it's over a thousand words... just saying...**

**Sooooo yeah**

**Oh, and the word 'imp' is also used in the context as 'little or small being'… not just demon.**

**Thanks for the reviews guys, makes mah day.**

**O.o**


	13. Chapter 12

The morning came quickly, but the night dragged on. A stream of sunlight lit up the room, passing through the still curtain less window. The stream of sunlight touched her back, coaxing her out of her dreams.

When she finally complied, Alice opened her eyes. She wasn't expecting to find a certain winter spirit holding her, his arms wrapped protectively around her, his nose nestled in her hair.

But then she remembered that he'd taken hold of her last night, when her medicine was burning through her body.

"Morning," She mumbled when she felt Jack stir, his grip loosening.

"NNN…" Not a morning person apparently.

"Thanks for staying with me." She slipped out of the bed, wrapping a blue blanket around her and padded over to the re-lit fire place. Eric must have re-lit the fire again, as he normally did two hours before she woke up.

She'd have to thank him when he came to bring her breakfast. That is if he didn't distract her.

Speaking of which, the door to her bedroom clicked open, and a man carrying a tray entered. Eric. Eric was an average sized man, dressed in a casual tee shirt—granted it had a bow tie printed on it—and jeans. He had extremely long curly hair brushed to the side. If he could deny being Irish, he would, but his bright red hair and green eyes wouldn't let him. He was related to the family, but she couldn't tell you how, thought she knew he was. Eric had been with the family for as long as she remembered.

"Good morning, Alice. Are you feeling better?" Eric placed the tray on the fire place as he sat next to her on the fire place. "Did Jack Frost visit?" He commented with a joking voice.

"You don't believe in him, so don't joke." She stuck her tongue out at him maturely. "What did you make for breakfast?"

"Let's see…" Eric turned, glancing at the tray. "A cup of juice—whichever was in the fridge, the chef wasn't here to tell me what-, a cup of packaged hot chocolate, and three cookies… well, two…"

"My cookie! No tak-" She abruptly covered her mouth and coughed violently into it.

"Here, have some mysterious juice."

* * *

"Would you happen to have a new plan? Unless you _don't_ want the cut?"

"I do, and if you keep having her take the medicine, it will take ten months to take its toll-"

"She needs to die before then."

"But-"

"Ten months gives her the chance to live past her birthday."

"But-"

"Isn't there something you can give her?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then what is it?"

"It's uh-"

"What does it do?"

"It completely wipes out the immune system and even something so little as food poisoning would ki-"

"Perfect, is it undetectable?"

"No, bu-"

"Then don't give it to her!"

"-But it is the next part of the treatment! If we start the treatment early, she'll be dead before spring begins!"

"Then why didn't you say that first?"

Dr. Adler only sighed.

* * *

"You know _I'm_ right."

North stared up at Pitch. The fear could be felt from the being who sat precariously upon the huge globe. How the nightmare man managed to escape his confine, was unknown to the eldest guardian.

"I mean, I would understand why you wouldn't believe me. I've deceived you more than once in the past. It's only natural."

North remained silent, only staring up at the man.

'But I happen to be telling you the truth. Alice Brooks, dear little terminally ill Alice Brooks, is actually being killed by her dearest Aunt. Auntie Camille. Who pleaded with Alice's doctor to give her an incurable illness, bribing him with a cut of the regrettably large fortune left in the wake of the dead parents. A fortune that dearest Auntie Camille would never otherwise see."

"I should believe you, why?"

"Because I _am_ telling you the truth. And it's up to you whether or not you do. But know that not even ten minutes ago, Auntie Camille had a lovely conversation with Doctor James Adler. I learned some rather interesting information. Like how Jack's girl won't even make it to spring once she's given the second part of the treatment. The treatment she doesn't even need."

"Jack's girl?"

"Oh, you don't know? The little winter spirit was holding her oh so dearly. And so tightly I'm surprised she doesn't have frostbite. And I hear that he'd even kissed her."

"What?"

"And to think that he's only known her for what? Doesn't this mark the fourth day?"

"… I trust Jack."

"Are you sure? He hasn't revealed what he knows, has he?"

"Knows?"

"He knows far more than he says he does. If he's even said if he knows anything. Has he said anything?"

"No…"

"Then what else might he not be telling you?"

When no reply came, Pitch continued, "Well, in any case, I'll leave the task up to you of whether or not you believe me. You can choose not to believe me, and wait until it becomes too late to save her. _Fine by me._"

That was the last thing stated until the entirety of the obsidian sand dissipated and the pinpoints of lights reappeared.

And nothing else was stated until after North had called forth the Northern Lights.

* * *

"_Ding, ding, dong…"_

It was that song. The song that had caused him to stop to listen. To figure out who was singing it.

"Where did you learn that song?"

Jack had found Alice already out here when he'd finally woken up. Now the two of them were sitting on the bench, blankly doing nothing.

"Nowhere?"

"You don't sound so sure about that."

"… you'd think I was crazy."

"You know me: I'm Jack Frost." He smiled, watching her finger the hem of her hoodie. "You can tell me."

"The day I got diagnosed, there was a full moon. I saw it and then… I suddenly knew the song." Alice shrugged, kicking up the flurries to watch them float to the ground carelessly, "It's kind of weird."

"I don't think it is." Jack smiled, "The moon was the first thing I remembered. The moon and being cold. Surrounded by cold."

"I'm always cold."

Jack nodded softly. It probably came from the medicine, which would make sense. The medicine killed her insides. Made her burn up, and made her pained all over.

"Do you think the moon is lonely?"

"I… don't know."

A yawn escaped her lips, followed by a soft, "I didn't sleep very well last night. Like that's nothing new."

Jack promptly felt a warm head against his shoulder. "Do you need to go lay down inside." He involuntarily made his body rigid.

"I'll be fine."

"Wouldn't a bed be more comfortable? I mean, I'm cold and-"

"Are you going to be there this night?"

"Yeah, if you want."

"Thank you."

Jack said nothing, smiling softly to himself. He noted the subtle shift of the head on his shoulder. She had fallen asleep. He slightly raised his head to watch the colors blur of the northern lights that reached out for the Guardians to come to a meeting. A meeting that would have to wait. She only had a limited nine months.

"You're welcome."

He could feel the moon's gaze.

"What?"

* * *

Ever since that girl entered Jack's life, he's been actin' differently. I ain't the only one who sees it, right?"

"Bunny, you have to understand that Jack's so young."

"I agree, Tooth. Sandy?"

…

"Okay, okay. No need to yell."

"Sandy's right, that bloke ain't telling us something."

"We wait for Jack."

* * *

**O.o**

**Sorry it's been so long. I've been busy. Friday was Friday… Saturday, had another play-off game and ended up having a sousaphone case dropped on my foot while the instrument was still inside. Frankly all the quartermasters got hurt yesterday. But on the bright side of yesterday, I learned I'm extremely good at arcade shooter games. Although I love videogames anyway.**

**In any case, wanted to upload this… sorry it's not multiple chapters either, haven't had much time to write either.**

**Oh, and for those who keep asking for how the ending will turn out… I suggest looking up the song ****_Forever _****by ****_Rascal Flatts._**** Tell me what you think'll happen. The song should give a hint.**

**o.O**


	14. Chapter 13

"Well, Pitch was right about something. That bloody fool."

Bunnymund shook his head, watching Jack's grip on the small framed girl tighten. Golden sand poured into the room. The golden imp appeared next to the bunny.

"What is Jack thinking? He knows she's gonna die anyways."

Sandy crossed his arms, floating in front of the taller Guardian.

"Oi, I know he's still young."

Sandy kept his arms crossed. A form appeared above his head. Bunnymund stared at it, until he realized the form was Jack. Jack curled up into a ball, shaking.

"I know he's scared! But it's-"

"_Stop it!_"

The guardians turned to the younger. Sandy lifted his hands, sprinkling a few grains of dream sand at the two sleeping forms. Shapes began forming above their heads. The two elder guardians' eyes grew slightly wider as the once golden sand forms grew black suddenly.

"_I told you, didn't I?"_

* * *

"_Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,_

_Jack Frost nipping at your nose…_" The song played over the radio. He'd missed hearing the name of the artist who sang this version.

Boots crunched next to him. The awesome sound of snow compressing beneath feet. Well, he found it pleasing to his ears. Especially when it was the snow he had conjured up.

He turned to look at her. She was smiling, just like he always wanted. To keep that smile on her face. Other than wearing her smile, she adorned her cerulean hoodie, and a matching set of ear muffs, scarf, and gloves. She was still wearing her knee length shorts and socks, but now she had snow white snow boots on. Flakes of white fluff speckling her actually brushed strands.

"Tell me a story. One you've told before."

"I can't… I don't know any." He answered with a smirk.

"Then I'll tell you one…" She paused, "Once upon a time, winter was split. Split between the two years, leaving the dead days alone. Winter at the end, and beginning of the next year that followed. The dead days fall in the dead of winter. Due to air currents, the moon used to have to control the weather. But he didn't want to anymore, because it took up most of his time."

"Interesting story…" Jack interjected.

"_She's going to die, Jack._"

Alice stopped mid step in front of him. The snow falling around then stopped falling. The world was utterly paused.

"I know."

"She's not immortal. She'll die before you can stop it."

"I _know_." His voice grew angry.

"I can try!"

"But then again, what's worse than having her die?"

_"Stop it!"_

"Oh, that's right: having her not _believing you anymore._"

"She won't."

"But how do you know that?"

"Her pare… her parents!"

"What happens when she finally gives up? Stops believing and just gives up?"

"_She won't!_"

"How do you know?"

"She…"

"So you don't?" You have doubts/ You don't believe in her to believe in you?"

"…I…"

"So you do? That's a shame. The two of you were literally made for each other."

"What?"

"You think that song was pure coincidence, my dear Jacky boy?"

"I…"

"But I digress. It matters not to me if you know the truth."

"Truth?

"That she won't always be there. That she won't even still be in your arms in the morning when you wake up."

"She'll be in the snowy-"

"Are you sure?"

"She was there yesterday."

"And?"

"I…"

"Why not just see for yourself?"

* * *

"She's inside, but-"

"Move, I have a right to see my own niece."

"Ma'am, she's sleeping right now."

"Does that matter?"

"Yes, ma'am, it does."

"I command you to let me in, Jeremy."

"It's _Eric_, ma'am. But no, _I will not._"

"Should I have you fired?"

"You can't fire me, ma'am."

"And why is that?!"

"Only Alice, the heir of the fortune, can."

Camille huffed loudly, "_Fine!_"

"I suggest you come back when she's awake. It makes it easier to visit people that way." Eric turned back to the door, sighing loudly.

* * *

"Buggers, we've some company, not that he'd be able to see."

Bunnymund went quiet as the door clicked open, anyway. A man dressed in average clothes entered. The man turned around to face the guardians.

With clear green eyes, the man looked straight into Bunnymund's eyes, and then turned to the fireplace. Reaching for a new plank, the man tossed a handful of paper shreds into the pit. Quickly lighting the match, he watched as the fire quickly spread.

"There we go." The man commented. "Let's check on your _fever_ now."

"Fever?" Bunnymund turned to the golden imp, who merely shrugged in reply.

The man placed a slightly tanned hand on Alice's forehead. "It's still pretty high, but you should _cool down_ before you wake up."

With that, the man left the room, his rubber heels on his boots hitting the hardwood loudly.

"He saw us."

Bunnymund watched the figures that danced across Sand's head.

"You're right, we should tell North."

* * *

Alice floated.

She couldn't move.

She couldn't hear anything other than the sound of her breathing. She didn't see anything other than the emptiness of black.

"Do you wonder if the moon ever gets lonely?"

"Can't say I do. I've been keeping busy with watching over all of them."

"But you're all by yourself."

"I have my friends down here."

"Don't you ever want to play?"

"I can't say I've never thought of it. But, I have those who do have fun for me."

"I wouldn't like not being able to have fun. It's sad to stay inside and never get to play and have fun."

"I know. And you needn't worry; you'll be able to have fun."

"Will there be snow? I don't get to see a lot of snow. I waited for Jack Frost to show up."

"I know very well. And yes, there will be snow."

Then nothing.

Blackness.

And nothing.

"Jack's waiting for you now, Alice."

* * *

**o.O**

**Whew… **

**It's a lot of dreaming… but all of this happens in the order it's written, not all at the same time. **

**Now I'm gonna finish drawing up the final character designing on Alice and Eric. Then I've got to start designing Aunt Camille and Dr. Adler. **

**This sucks, cold weather makes my knees hurt badly, but I love cold weather. Oh, well.**

**Thanks for the reviews peoples, and the follows... and the favorites… and actually reading this story. The views are OVER 9000! ... and yes, I was waiting to say that.**

**O.o**


	15. Chapter 14

Jack snapped his eyes open.

He expected to find himself lying alone in the large bed, sprawled out next to the frost that seeped onto the bed. The way he had woken up yesterday.

"Alice… Alice wake up. Come on, wake up." He'd heard that voice before, it belonged to the man who brought Alice her medicine last night. Eric, wasn't it? "Did you take your medicine last night?

"She did. I made sure."

"Did you take too much of your medicine?

"Unless you brought her too much, no." He answered the man, knowing he wouldn't reply. At least to him. "But something was different about her medicine."

"Must have something to do with her medicine. It's the second treatment. They started it early for some reason."

"Do you talk to yourself a lot?"

The man placed a hand on Alice's forehead, "You're still burning up. And it's past noon. What is Dr. Adler thinking, changing her medicine like that?"

"Why would he change the medicine?" Jack held Alice's hand in his own ice cold one. "I mean, it's not like that man didn't already try to kill her." Jack didn't have to even touch her to know she was having an extreme fever. There was a heat radiating from her body. And it wasn't the normal warmth that enveloped her, but instead it was a burning heat.

"I'll go to the hospital to see what we can do. Just to be safe," The man stood, heading to the window, "I'll go to the emergency clinic. Dr. Adler doesn't work there."

"I'll stay here."

Without another word, Eric jumped from the window, leaving it open, even despite the fact that it was a second floor drop.

"Alice… please wake up."

She didn't respond, but only gave a soft twitch of pain.

"_Please_ Alice… I need you to wake up."

* * *

"Jack's waiting for you now, Alice."

"Why can't I go back?"

She'd tried to wake up. Open her eyes and return to the world where Jack Frost would be waiting for her with a cold grip. Where Eric would be waiting with a cup of hot chocolate from a package that tasted better than anything a chef could make.

Where Andrea would wave at her from the garden where she would be pruning the roses and the cacti flowers that still managed to hold a bud, as she passed by. Andrea would be dressed in her normal clothes that never seemed to change.

Where Pierre the chef would be preparing lunch, something warm, for her. Pierre would be dressed in his normal chef's uniform. And if she was walking by at just the right time, she'd be able to steal a quick taste of the dessert he would include with her dinner.

Where Alex and Andre, the were-supposed-to-be-butlers, would only be making a mess of something, somewhere. Those twins were always up to something.

She wanted to go back."

"You're _afraid_ to."

"I am not."

"But I beg to differ."

She turned only to be greeted with deadly pale hands cupping her face, her eves covered my long fingers.

"You fear returning back to that world."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do." The voice dripped into her ears. "Or I would not be here."

"But I'm not afraid of anything."

"Oh, but you are."

"Then tell me, what it is."

"But dear little Alice, if I do that… what would my point be here?" She could feel the figure's lips move against her ear. "Everyone has a reason to exist. I'm here because you fear something."

"That's not true."

"You exist to die… is that what you fear?"

"No."

"You are persistent in not believing in the truth?"

"I am no-"

"I'll ask again: Is death what you fear?"

"….not exactly."

"But then what exactly is it that you fear?"

"You ask because you already know. You want me scared, don't you?"

"Perhaps you may be right."

"I know I am. This is my dream."

"Yes, but, that matters not."

"Yes, it does. Now let me out. People are waiting for me."

"One person in particular."

"I know."

"I'll be sure you see me again, Alice."

"Right, and I'll mark my calendar, mister…?"

"Pitch… Pitch Black."

Alice felt the cold, lifeless hands let go of her face.

"Goodbye… dear Alice."

* * *

"Alice! Please open your eyes!"

"Alice open your eyes for me."

Someone's icy grip held her hands firmly and someone was holding to hands to her face.

"You're awake! The reactant worked. Whoa! Don't sit up!"

She felt a hand on her back now. Her blue orbs opened, staring at the two who surrounded her. The winter spirit held her hands in his, while Eric sat beside the bed, a package of medicine in his lap.

"Here, drink some water." Eric pressed a glass to her lips, not allowing her to move.

"What happened?" She managed to state after the glass was pulled away from her lips.

"You had a bad reaction to the second stage of your medication."

"I…"

"-almost died last night." Eric stated, placing the glass down. "Luckily, I went to the emergency clinic. They had a pill that reverses the effects of the medication. It happens a lot apparently."

"Shouldn't they fix that?"

"Maybe… hey, I'll go tell everyone you're alright now. They were worried. I'll grab ya a cup of…?"

"Pierre's cake."

"So you want a… cake in a cup?"

"Yep… a cup cake."

She laughed softly at the face the Irish man gave.

"Just ask Pierre."

Eric only laughed as he exited the room, leaving the oddly quiet winter spirit along with Alice.

"Y'know, Jack. My hands are getting cold."

"Sorry."

"Are you okay, Jack?"

"I… thought you weren't going to wake up."

"But I did."

"I know. And I'm glad."

"But eventually, I won't wake up."

"…don't say that."

This feeling. Was this the feeling that his parents or his sister felt when they realized that he had died? The feeling of utter dread and disbelief? It was the same feeling he'd felt when he had witnessed the golden imp fall to the hands of the nightmarish man.

The room fell silent, the trickster absently rubbing the pad of his thumb over her now freezing hands. Jack could tell she had said something, but the words were lost on him as he sorted through his wondering thoughts.

Why had he panicked? He knew that she would eventually close her eyes and never open them again. He knew she would eventually die, whether it be in eight and a half months or if it had been last night when the fever raged longer and she hadn't woken up.

It was simple, he decided: He was scared.

Scared to let her die.

And there was nothing he could do.

He didn't want to watch her die.

"_Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?_

_Dear Jack Frost, Dear Jack-"_

She was promptly interrupted by Jack's frigid lips capturing her lovingly warm ones.

* * *

**o.O**

**It's so cold here, my fingers are having a hard time typing.**

**But I still gots this done for ya guys. And sorry it's up so late.**

**Thanks for all the reviews guys.**

**O.o**


	16. Chapter 15

Jack almost regretted letting his lips touch hers. Alice didn't react for a good length of time, just sitting there, remaining motionless. Jack wanted to do nothing more than back off, laugh it off, and escape out the still open window.

But Alice responded before he could put his plan into action. She didn't pull away, and she didn't bust his face up with her surprisingly strong snowball throwing arm. Instead, she held her body firm, before pulling back. Her eyes met his as she breathed out a puff of air that was coated in frost.

His frost.

"Jack…"

"…Alice?"

"My hands have frostbite."

Jack promptly let her hands go, seeing the tips of her fingers now blue. "Sorry."

"Thanks for staying, Jack."

Not that he could leave her alone.

"But get out so I can change into some warmer clothes."

And with that, Jack Frost was promptly kicked out of the room, his staff flying after him.

"Well, she knows how to kill a mood."

And that was how the winter spirit found himself, along with the servant dude Eric, standing outside Alice's bedroom door. Frankly, he compared the two of them to kicked puppies on the side of the road during a rain storm. Yeah, rain. Granted it had only been two minutes since he'd been kicked out, and thirty seconds since Eric had arrived, carrying Alice's 'cup cake'.

"Well, this is awkward." Jack commented, not expecting Eric to reply.

It didn't surprise him when the man didn't, and continued to stand there.

"That's okay; I know I'm shocking you into silence."

"Alice, you alright? You didn't fall down a rabbit hole, right?"

"Eric! Giant rabbit holes don't just randomly appear." Even jack chuckled at the reply. If she knew Bunny, then she might be wrong. "But yes! I'm alright!"

"Then maybe you should hurry up and open the door."

"Nah, I don't think I will."

"Then you _don't_ want your cupcake?"

"Or go outside for an hour or two?" Jack added.

Jack was glad he wasn't still leaning against the door like he was exactly one minute and seven seconds ago. Or he would be on the floor, flat on his face.

Again.

"Fine, come in." Alice commented, snatching the cup of cake from Eric, and coughing slightly when she tried to laugh.

Jack stood in the middle of the room, closer to the still open window, avoiding the heat of the fire that burned in the fire place. Alice was busily eating away at her 'cup cake', and Eric was messing with said fire. It was quiet. Not the horrible version of quiet, where no one wished for it, but instead the calming kind of quiet.

But of course, it had to get disturbed by a giant rabbit hole appearing in the floor, cracking open the tile. And he wasn't the least bit surprised when owner of aforementioned rabbit hole, appeared through the hole. Bunnymund shook off a small amount of snow from his fur.

"Hey, Frosty, North wants to see ya. We need to-"

"BUNNY!"

And then Bunnymund was knocked over. From the blunt force of an 85 pound 17 year old girl. Jack wasn't going to let him live that down. Not for a while. "Frostbite! Get your Sheila off of me!"

"She doesn't belong to me. So… sorry."

Alice was hugging the six foot tall bunny, rubbing her face in the soft fur that adorned his body. "You're so soft."

"I _am_ a rabbit."

With no help from the winter spirit or the man alike (not that the man was expected to help in a situation like this), the guardian managed to get up, the girl still attached. "How do you expect me to explain this? She won't let go, the little ankle biter."

"Just take her with you." Jack couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

It seemed that Alice was feeling better, whether or not this was simply a sugar rush. But the red blotches were growing on her face now. Without a doubt, the bunny saw them too.

"I guess North wouldn't mind meeting her, considering we haven't heard a word from ya in more than three days."

"I've gone longer."

"Still, North's worried. Told him not to be, but noooo. He's too worried with Christmas comin' up." Bunny shook his head, still trying to pry the child off of his chest. "Even though Easter's tha better holiday."

"Bunny!"

"I don't think she's letting go any time soon."

"Really now, Frosty?"

"I'll take her in the tunnels, to make sure she gets there, mate."

Eric rose from the fire, his back still turned to the three of them, "Have her back safe and sound in time for her bath."

Eric swiftly left the room.

"Meetcha there, Frostball."

* * *

She finally let go, as she was thrown through the air and out of the tunnel she was sliding through. Luckily, there was a sack of something soft for her to land on. Alice still winced when she impacted the soft something. It would still leave a nasty bruise on her knee.

"You alright, Sheila?" She heard the giant bunny's voice in her ears. Looking down at him, feet in the air and the ground underneath her back, she found him.

"Bunny!"

"I'll take that as a yes. Oi, North, Jack's coming, but in the mean time…"

She was promptly distracted by something brushing against her forehead. Tilting her head, she found a small creature staring back at her. It was covered in something that looked like flour from head to toe, and couldn't be taller than one foot, if even that.

"How long are we going to keep girl on ground? Phil! Help her out."

With a groan from a furry creature, she was hoisted to her feet. When her vision corrected, she was greeted with the sight of a large man dressed in red with a white beard, standing beside the giant bunny.

"Santa!"

She was surprised when her hug was returned with two large arms wrapped around her small frame and hoisted her up into the air.

* * *

**o.O**

**wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! **

**Sorry it's short, but my fingers are really cold. Darn you, sudden cold snap. But it finally decided to be winter. Texas' weather… sigh.**

**Thanks for all the awesome reviews guys. You make my day when I come home from a bad day.**

**Still, sorry nothing really happened this chapter… **

**O.o**


	17. Chapter 16

"You're so cold, little one!" The large man stated, his arms still wrapped around her, crushing her with massive strength.

"Can't… breathe…" She wheezed, letting out a cough, "Bunny! Help me!"

"Ya got yourself into this one, Sheila, you can getcher self out of it."

"You're just mad that she tackled you." Jack was quick to land on the ground, leaning against his frozen staff. "That's all."

"She didn't warn me."

"She happens to really like bunnies, not her problem."

"It is her problem, mate. She shouldn't just go tackling people."

"You're not a person."

"Bunny! Help me!"

"See, you're a six foot tall, talking bunny." Jack smirked.

"I'm still not helping your Sheila."

"Still doesn't belong to me."

"Like I believe that, Frostball."

"You're the Easter Bunny, right?" Alice broke in, "And Santa is hugging me, right?"

"E. Aster Bunnymund, at your Easter service." The bunny commented. "But we call 'em North."

"Can we get _North_ to put me down?"

"North, she bruises easily. Maybe we should put her down?" Jack commented, sighing to himself.

"Sorry, little one." And with that, she was set on the ground. "Jack, she is very cute."

"Cute, she's adorable! And were those white teeth I saw? So amazing." With that, the blue haze flew right up to her, jamming a set of cerulean hands into her mouth. "They are!"

"And that would be the tooth fairy, we call her Tooth."

"Tooth, hands out of mouth." The elder guardian called, "Now, Jack, please introduce this young lady."

Jack walked up to stand next to the small framed girl, "North, Bunny, Tooth, this is Alice Brooks. She's the one who I watched get hurt. Alice, this is Santa, The Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy."

Alice tilted her head, "Where… is the sandman?" The four others stared back at her, and she quickly added, "Isn't he one of them? I just thought that maybe he'd be one of-"

"Slow down, little one. He'll be coming soon." North let out a thunderous laugh. "Until then, Bunny, will you show her around?"

"Why can't you do it?"

"I need to speak with Jack… Alone."

* * *

"Alice! Get back here!"

Alice begun to laugh, only to immediately start coughing after wards. She had taken liberty to start a game of tag, picking the winter spirit as 'it'. Which said trickster didn't like. Namely because she was supposed to already be on her way back to have her bath once she returned.

Which frankly, she didn't exactly care about.

"Alice! We need to take you back. Eric the servant dude'll get mad if you're not back in time."

"He'll understand."

Alice jumped over a little creature, apparently, an elf. But she never touched the ground again, as she felt icey hand grab around her waist, hoisting her higher in the air. "Gotcha. Now, let's take you home."

"Aw."

"Jack, remember our talk."

"…right."

Alice was shifted in his arms, to where he had her gripped against his chest, his staff across her back. She was warm, and it didn't bother him.

At least they managed to get back without a mishap. Other than Alice utterly freaking out about flying. Apparently, even if she was rich off her knocker, she had never been flying.

Eric was waiting for her, arms crossed.

"Alice, it's time to take your medicine."

"But…"

"Medicine. Now."

Jack remained quiet as he watched the two proceed to the bed, where Alice quickly swallowed the two pills. He lowered his head at the sound of Alice coughing loudly. He waited in agony until Eric shut the door behind him.

Jack sat on the bed, motioning to the small framed girl to sit next to him. She was already beginning to sweat. Alice did, the smile falling from her pale face. Jack disreguarded his staff, letting it roll to the edge if the bed, and took her raging fever ridden body against his cool one.

There wasn't anything else he could do.

Except this.

He felt her burning face tilt into his neck.

Even North could tell.

She wouldn't last the entire nine months.

She probably wouldn't last even four.

And he couldn't do anything.

* * *

_"Jack, I troubles me how you just ignore it."_

_North was talking about the mortal aspect the hid behind Alice._

_"You know it's there, and you ignore it…"_

_"…because it scares me."_

_It scared him and he knew it. Because there wasn't anything he could do._

_"There's nothing I can do to help her."_

_"Jack, it's not your fault." The elder man shook his head, "You couldn't stop it."_

_"I could've been helping all this time! She didn't have to be alone all this time!"_

_"Jack, you had no way of knowing."_

_North was right. But even so, he should've known. This feeling he got from being around Alice. It was like the feeling he'd gotten when he'd first looked up at the moon. But that was exactly the feeling he'd gotten when he'd woken up from the dreams the man in the moon had given him._

_"Man in the moon gave me some dreams. I don't understand them."_

_"Then tell me. What happened?"_

_"They both had Alice in them. One had Alice falling through the ice. And the other is that where Alice told me a story."_

_"What was story about?"_

_"…Winter. The … two? Winter spirits."_

_"Two?"_

_"I don't know."_

_The elder of the guardians put a hand to his beard in thought. "Perhaps, I should consult with the others when she isn't making a mess of things here."_

_"I can't figure it out either."_

_"Be careful Jack."_

_"I know."_

* * *

**o.O**

**Nothing really got done here in this chapter either… And I decided to wait to introduce Sandy. He's busy with something right now.**

**Imma gunna ask if you guys want to see some fluffiness or some story line for the next chapter… because I care what you think.**

**Why Texas weather? Just why, although I swear a certain winter spirit has been putting frost on my car in the mornings. At least it's no longer on my windshield. That was a pain to scrape off.**

**Wellll, enough rambling.**

**Thanks for the reviews you guys….**

**O.o**


	18. Chapter 17

"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee…"

The winter spirit couldn't help but raise an eye brow at the frail girl. She was currently sitting in one of the department store's many desk chairs, spinning them in around in circles, not caring how she appeared to any of the shoppers in the store. She was having so much fun that she was ignoring the looks she was receiving, and the laughs pointed her way. Which was exactly the way he liked to see her. Happy and carefree.

"Listen shoppers! Only 3 more days until Christmas! Only three more days until the last minute sale ends." The announcer of this store called out over the speaker.

Which was right, marking it a full month and a half since he'd first seen the frail girl lying in her room, crimson life spilling from her head. Three days until Christmas.

But even on Christmas, she would get sick once more at night, and once more, he would hold her to his cold body, keeping her fever down, even if it was only slightly. It had become a sort of ritual. Eric would make sure that Alice took her medicine. Alice would, and immediately begin with fevers, sweating, and shaking. Then he would call her into his grasp, and she would fall asleep against his icy skin.

But for now, he was content with watching her happily 'shop' for the remainder of her Christmas presents. She planned on getting something for each of the guardians. Even though she didn't expect anything from any of them in return. Although each of the guardians found themselves close with the frail girl.

North would be lying if he said he didn't consider Alice his granddaughter or something close to that. He was very much attached to the ill girl, even offering sleigh rides and crushing the girl in embraces.

Bunnymund was probably more annoyed with this girl more than he was annoyed with Jack himself. This was probably due to how much Alice adored bunnies, and tackled the oversized bunny to death every time she saw him.

Tooth adored Alice's teeth, despite the fact Alice was termin-

No, he told himself he would ignore that fact. The fact that would remain there, but he would treat her as if she wasn't.

"Jack, did you hear? Santa's here!" Alice was still spinning in the chair, the chair slowly coming to a halt. "I wanna go tell him what I want for Christmas, even if he's not the real Santa."

Jack followed the surprisingly fast—for once—girl, as she headed in the direction of the velvet ropes and fake elves. "Why not just tell North what you want?"

"I never got to do this as a kid." She explained, catching a spot near the front of the line, standing behind a couple with three children. "It's supposed to be something you do at least once as a child."

Jack nodded, watching Alice sway and occasionally cough into the sleeve of her cerulean jacket.

It didn't take long for it to be Alice's turn. She quickly walked up to the man sitting in the seat, dressed in a red suit and a fake beard. The man gave a quick groan of annoyance at the sight of the girl, but it was immediately followed with a look of shock when she actually sat down on his knee. Apparently, she didn't weigh enough for what he expected.

The man cleared his throat, "Aren't you a little old to be telling me what you want for Christmas?"

"Probably, but I never got to do this as a kid."

"Your parents want a picture, right? Where are they then?"

"Mommy and Daddy are dead."

The man cleared his throat again, "I am terribly sorry."

"It's okay. But do you wanna hear what I want for Christmas?"

"Alright, I'll be sure to see what I can do about it, go ahead."

Jack furrowed his brow when he watched Alice lean in to whisper something in his ear, earning a shocked look from the man. Alice was immediately given a nod from the man. She hopped out of the man's lap, and escaped the camera. She agreed to the candy cane, and skipped out of reach.

"Marvin, I need to take a break." The false Santa called to the nearest elf. "She just…"

"What's wrong?"

"What that girl wanted for Christmas."

"What did she want?"

"She's apparently dying, and she wanted to keep her friend safe. She wanted to let him have a happy life when she's gone."

Jack paused, watching the frail girl happily open her candy.

_When she's gone…_

He couldn't stop the tears that formed in his eyes. Nor could he stop the tear that streaked down his cheek.

She was the one dying, with less than four months. Nine months was a stretch now. She wouldn't make it that long. She was dying, and she was worried about him. How he would live after she was-

"Jack, come on! I want to get Eric something before I have to go home. Otherwise, he'll see what I buy." The frail girl in the cerulean hoodie paused, looking up at him. "Are you okay? Did you fly into something? You're red."

Jack shook his head, replying, "I don't fly into stuff."

"Much."

"That yeti doesn't count."

"Or the side of my house."

"It was in my way."

"And?" She stopped, causing him to finally stop mere inches from her face. He could smell the peppermint on her breath. "Like the wall didn't feel anything when you smacked into it."

"Yeah, yeah."

Jack kept the blatant heat that rose on his face down, forcing it to look like wind burned skin.

Her entire body smelled like peppermint.

"That brat cannot live past spring."

It was a mere whisper, but he heard it.

"Alice, go ahead, I'll meet up with you."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm not leaving you; I'll meet you back at the house."

"But…"

"I promise." Jack smiled softly at her, waiting until she nodded in agreement before turning to search out the source.

He found the woman searching through a clothes rack in a nearby store. She was frowning, and mumbling angrily to herself. Too bad he could hear her.

"That brat ruined everything. Alexander shouldn't have had her. That d*** fortune should've gone to me. Not that _brat_. I wouldn't have had him killed if I'd known this was going to happen. Now I've got more clean-up work to deal with until I get what is rightfully mine."

Jack clenched his hand around the frost bitten staff.

"It took so much work to convince that feeble-minded doctor to give her some incurable disease. That way he could poison her that way. And she's still not dying like she was supposed to be. She was supposed to die three years ago. That brat and her strong freaking will."

That was it.

Alice wasn't taking that medicine anymore. He was right about it before. It was making her worse.

Jack fought the urge to freeze the woman solid.

Instead, he escaped the store, taking to the sky outside the mall, letting the wind take him.

_The mourning bells are tolling…_

* * *

**o.O**

**I have updated… as if none of you could tell.**

**Shout out to ****_Sky of Flames…_**** shim lent me an idea for the plot.**

**Oh, and Fwuff is coming… although I can't help throwing snowballs everywhere, just to see who catches them. The majority wanted Fwuff, so yeah.**

**Plot too, of course, but still.**

**Enough rambling, Iggy**

**O.o**


	19. Chapter 18

**If I were to recommend something to listen to while reading this chapter, it would be ****_The Seal Lullaby_**** by Eric Whitacre.**

**o.O**

* * *

"You can't just barge in here and say she isn't going to be taking the medicine anymore."

"So you _can_ see me."

"No, not at all."

"Alice isn't going to be taking that medicine anymore. It's killing her!"

"It'll kill her if she doesn't take it."

"That doesn't make sense."

"You don't think I've noticed how it hurts her? It's built up in her system, and taking her suddenly off of it will do nothing more that hurt her tremendously."

"She's not taking it anymore."

"How are you going to stop her? She's monitored, and it's not just me. That woman has people everywhere."

"I'll take Alice somewhere that woman can't find her."

"And that would be?"

"Santa's workshop."

"And Santa would be okay with that?"

"I'm sure he would be."

"How are they going to handle what happens?"

"I'll handle it. I know what happens and how it happens."

"It'll be worse than usual."

"I know."

Eric sighed, "I guess we're going on a vacation."

"We?"

"I ain't leaving Alice alone with you."

"Oh thanks, makes me feel loved."

"Yeah, yeah."

* * *

But Jack didn't expect the horrendous reaction that had happened. He was prepared for the worse; Alice's fever being out of control and blazing no matter what he did.

But this was worse than that.

Each of the guardians, save Sandy, and Eric were present in the room. Eric was hurriedly smothering the fire that blazed in the fireplace. Alice was lying in the middle of the floor. Her body trembled mercilessly, causing each labored breath to shake. She had quickly shed her cerulean hoodie, revealing the navy tank top that was underneath. Sweat was already dripping off her body. Her eyes were tear-filled as she looked up at Jack as he gathered her against his body.

"You… you're not going to leave me… right?" Alice's voice was soft, and shaking.

"I will always be here." He responded with a softer voice. "Always."

But her fever was only getting worse. He could tell. And the water dripping off the tips of his snow kissed strands only agreed with that.

"Eric." He whispered to the man, "Her fever."

"I know." The Irish caregiver promptly ran a hand through his red locks, "But we can't give her anything without risking making her worse."

Jack only nodded, pulling the shaking girl closer, and burying her face in his neck. The winter spirit could hear a quiet sniffling that was coming from the eldest female in the room. Maybe now they understood. Understood what she went through every night. Why he was ignoring the fact she wouldn't live much longer. Why he was still by her side even despite this fact. Why he couldn't leave her. Why he loved her smile.

"It… hurts, Jack… I'm scared."

"I know… I know…" He repeated this mantra into her hair, slowly rocking her. "It's going to all right… it'll be alright."

This kept up for another hour. Tooth was led out of the room by Bunnymund, not being able to handle it anymore. North was sitting in the chair beside Alice's bed, even though Jack and Alice had yet to move from the frigid floor.

Eric entered the room, ice water in a bowl in one hand, a towel in another, "Her temperature isn't going down."

"I know!" Jack called.

Jack was melting. Not his body per say, but the frost that adorned his body and clothes. He was getting overheated from Alice's fever, but he wasn't about to leave her alone to freeze over once more.

"What are you going to do about it, then?"

"I'll think of something."

"Jack… why is the moon crying?"

Jack turned his head to stare out the same window Alice was. The moon was full, and staring into the room, cascading the room in blatant moonlight. But the feeling in the moonlight was different. Different than anything he'd been touched by in his 300 years. The feeling brought tears to his eyes, marking it the second time he'd cried that day. And the second he'd cried in 300 years.

"He… doesn't want you to be in pain…"

"But he's the one who's lonely…"

"Jack, her fever's out of control. She's blotching everywhere."

What could he possibly do? He was melting and he wasn't retaining any ice. And even his lack of body temperature wasn't helping anymore. This was the stupidest thing he'd ever done. Forcibly taking her off a medicine that was killing her, knowing it would probably kill her to suddenly take her off it. Now he was paying the consequences.

But he didn't want to watch her die.

But he couldn't do anything.

He rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes.

He was surprised when he found images resting behind his eyelids. They were of him and Alice, sitting comfortably in her bed back in Texas. He recognized the image. It was the second time he'd kissed her. He watched in silence as his past self pressed his lips to hers. And he watched as she leaned in, and then drew back. He noted the frosted air that escaped her lips.

Jack flicked his eyes open. That was it. If he could cool her core body temperature, she would get better.

He lifted his forehead from hers, looking down into her pain-ridden eyes. His now luke-warm hand reached up and brushed the welling tears from her eyes with the pad of his thumb. He said nothing as he leaned down, brushing her lips with his. Jack pressed deeper into the kiss, blowing a stream of the coolest air he could conjure up inside his lungs.

He pulled back; burying his face once more again into her peppermint scented cerise strands, trapping her face against his neck.

_Please work…_

_Please._

* * *

**o.O**

**Sorry this is up so late. I was busy all day with errands and helping my grandmother make fudge for Christmas.**

**And sorry to say that the fwuff got pushed back another chapter, but I felt this chapter needed to be put here. But for that reason, the next chapter should be attacked by the fwuff monster.**

**Does that even exist?**

**It does now.**

**Thanks for all the reviews and favorites and all the follows, and what not, guys. You guys are awesome.**

**O.o**


	20. Chapter 19

Jack groaned as the sun light hit his face, pouring in from the window. He shifted, raising his head from the soft pillow, and brushing back the thin sheet on top of his body.

Wait, pillow?

Jack sat up, flinging the sheet off of the bed, and scanning the room until he came across the oversized bunny standing in the middle of the room.

"Whoa, mate, calm down, you used a might bit of your power last night. Ya passed out."

"Where's Alice?"

"Tooth took her to get cleaned up."

Jack rubbed his face in his hands, "What happened?"

"North said that whatever you did, worked after the fourth time you did it. North didn't say what ya did, Frostbite, but still." Bunnymund shrugged, crossing his furry arms. "What did you do?"

'Brought her core temperature down."

"How?"

"I'm Jack Frost." He shrugged, swinging his legs out of the bed. "What do you expect?"

"You shouldn't be getting up. North wants you to rest."

"Well then I'm going to talk to North right now."

"But, North said-"

"Since when do I listen?" Jack called, slipping past the bunny, frosted staff in hand.

Jack closed the door behind him, nodding to the yetis as they passed him, wrapped toys in hand. It reminded him how close it was to Christmas. Alice's last Christmas.

And he had an idea for what he wanted to get her. It was at least going to be a good last Christmas.

He found the elder guardian tending to the reindeer, inspecting them, much to the yeti's dismay.

"Jack! You seem well. Why are you not resting?"

"I need to ask you something." His voice became softer, holding his staff in his hand, moving it to block his face.

"What is bothering you, Jack."

"Christmas is in two days, and I wanted to… uh… get something for Alice."

"Like what, Jack?"

"Something she would like?"

"Like what?" The large man turned around, crossing his large arms. "If I was to help you, I'd need to know what you were thinking of getting her."

"I dunno, something girls like?'

"Jack, what specifically are you looking for?"

"A…" A bright red color attacked his face. "… necklace…?"

"Jack," The elder man raised his white eyebrow, "what would you like on the necklace?"

"Um… A feather…"

"Why a feather?"

"It's strong yet still fragile… like Alice."

North chuckled loudly, motioning over one of the nearby yetis. "I'll have Henry work on it."

"Thanks."

"But you better go find Alice before she-"

"BUNNY!"

"-finds Bunny."

"Too late."

"You better go save Bunny before he makes a mess of things around here. I have to see everything is ready for tomorrow."

"Alright, North." Jack made way to leave the room the two of the had been talking in.

"Wait, Jack. About last night."

"That's the worst it's ever been. I had her taken off the medicine. We knew it would be bad."

"But what you did."

"It was the only thing I could think of."

"I see that."

"It worked."

_It worked_.

* * *

"Are you feeling better? You don't hurt anymore?"

The two of them were sitting in North's office, next to his fireplace. He watched as two elves brought out a plate of half eaten cookies and a mug of untouched hot chocolate. Jack declined the cookies, but Alice took the mug of hot chocolate from the elf, coughing a reply of thanks.

"My body still aches and I'm still freezing cold." Alice nodded, pressing the cup to her lips. They were still tinged blue. "But the most of the pain already left."

"That's good."

"Mmhmm." Alice nodded, pulling the cup from her lips.

Jack looked over at her. He couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Alice's face. There was a mess of melted marshmallow on the tip of her nose.

"Why are you laughing at me?"

"You've got fluff on your nose."

Jack raised an eye brow as he watched Alice attempt to lick the marshmallow off the tip of her nose. "I'll… get it!"

"Or maybe I will."

With that, he leaned forward, he ran his tongue across the tip of her nose, licking the marshmallow off.

He ignored the red that dusted their faces.

It was quiet.

A nice quiet.

And it was no surprise to either of them, when the two of them fell asleep, leaning against each other resting in front of the fireplace.

Even if it was a little warm for him.

* * *

"You shouldn't act so sad, Jack."

"But you're going to…"

"I know I am. But you shouldn't act so sad, even when you smile."

"I'm trying to, but…"

"You shouldn't worry. The moon chose you for a reason."

"Because I saved my sister."

"But for another reason."

"How would you know that?"

"Because, I had more reasons to choose you. It was not just for your saved sister."

Jack spun around, catching sight of a man. A man standing in moonlight. He stood tall, robes adorning his body, and shoulder length soft blonde hair.

"Why?"

"Because you were still a loving young man, trickster or not."

"What does that have to do anything?"

"Jackson, do not worry. Everything will be alright."

"But-"

"Everything will be alright."

The man faded, leaving Jack alone in a bare space.

_I promise…_

* * *

**o.O**

**Okay, so this got attacked by some fwuff monsters. Not many, but still…**

**Shout out to ****_HG59_**** for the overly awesome review shim left.**

**Fwuff is on it's way! Sorry it's so short though…**

**Thanks for the reviews/follows/favorites guys…**

**O.o**


	21. Chapter 20

Alice felt, for lack of a better phrase, in the way. The yetis were slipping around her, wrapped boxes in their arms. The elves seemed to even be actually helping, making sure the yetis and North were kept with energy. Well, cookies. Even if they were half eaten. Even so, it was just so busy. But it just came with the Christmas spirit she assumed. North was getting ready to make his yearly runs. Which meant she'd be sitting her alone until someone showed up for the Christmas get together that was to happen once North got done with all his runs.

Bunnymund had used his excuse of looking after the eggs once more. Sandy was off to do his nightly work, and Tooth had escaped off to do her work and adore the teeth herself. And she had no clue where Jack had run off to. He had disappeared halfway into the day, and she hadn't seen Eric either. Although she knew he was delivering the presents she had bought for the workers of the house, as he had said.

One of the elves, the one that was always bringing her hot chocolate, was standing in front of her, mug in her hand.

"Thank you." She called patting his head with a smile. "You're very helpful."

The little being laughed softly and blushed.

"Will you tell me how to get back to North's office? His fireplace is so warm."

The elf nodded, taking her hand and began leading her through the busy area.

It was definitely Christmas at the north pole.

* * *

It was no surprise to North when he found Alice asleep in his work chair, a blanket pulled over her. He had to agree with Jack on one thing: She seemed so peaceful while she slept. Had she not been obviously sickly, he would have not thought she was.

"Alice, time to wake up." North shook her shoulder softly, minding his thick strength. "Alice, come on wake up."

"I don't wanna!"

"Then you don't want to have a Christmas with all of your friends?"

"But, Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!"

"Then I'll just tell Bunny-"

"Bunny!" Alice was quick to scramble out of the chair and past North and out of the room.

"Well, that was easy…" Jack called, chuckling at the sound of a certain oversized bunny being attacked by a certain 87 pound girl. "But we better go save him."

"Oh, Jack, the gift…"

Jack nodded, taking the small velvet box and stuffing it into his jacket's pocket, and heading out the door. North followed him, stepping over elves on his way. They found the girl surrounded by the remaining guardians, including Sandy. Sandy, who had just finished with something he'd been busying himself with. What it was exactly, the others couldn't tell. But that didn't stop the small framed girl from hugging him with a grip that looked like she was hugging an oversized teddy bear.

"Alice, Sandy. Sandy, Alice."

The Golden imp simply waved his arms around in reply, getting rescued by two large furry hands that intervened.

"Maybe we should just _safely_ exchange the gifts, now, Sheila." Bunnymund commented.

"Presents?" Alice turned her head to the side, her smile giving way to the confused look on her face.

"Christmas is for wonder!"

"North, that was completely pointless to say!"

"Just bring out the gifts, mate."

With that two yetis brought out a group of wrapped gifts and placed them in front of the small framed girl.

"But… I didn't-"

"Expect your friends ta get cha something?" Bunnymund crossed his arms, "We may not have known ya fer long, Sheila, but we're still your friends."

Jack crossed his arms over his staff, "The yetis wrapped your gifts for them too. Which is why there were so many."

Bunnymund took the liberty to pass out the handful of gifts to each person. "Hey, Frostbite, you didn't get a present for your Sheila?"

"…no."

"Well, I'll let it slide since you've been busy with keeping her from getting overheated."

* * *

"And then North…"

Jack drifted to the back of the room, feeling out of place in the conversations between the elder guardians. He wasn't there for those stories, and didn't really like standing there in silence.

Which is also where he'd found Alice asleep, curled up on a pile of feed sacks for the reindeer, and elf cuddled up between her arms. He was surprised to find her already asleep, but then remembered she'd been taken off a medicine that kept her from sleeping normally for four years. That moment was also when the tips of the hand that hung comfortably in his hoodie's pocket touched the velvet box that hid there, he jerked his hand out of his pocket. He'd forgotten to give it to her.

One more night wouldn't matter.

The winter spirit gathered the girl into his arms, fitting his staff in her lap. He would at least take her to her room, so she could sleep more comfortably. He was happy at the sound of the elder guardians' voices slowly growing softer and softer, until they were drowned out by silence once he'd reached her room.

Shutting the door behind him with his bare foot, Jack crossed the room and laid Alice on the bed, pulling a blanket over her sleeping form. Jamming his hand back into his pocket, he toyed with the palm sized velvet box.

His actions didn't surprise him when he found himself setting the box beside Alice's head. They still didn't surprise him when he found himself lying down next to her, his staff abandoned at the end of the bed.

"Merry Christmas, Alice." He murmured, pressing his lips gently against her forehead.

She was warm.

But not too warm.

Four months.

No longer nine.

But four short months.

And he had to keep her safe.

_Everything will be all right, Jackson…_

_I promise._

* * *

**O.o**

**First off, sorry it's so short.**

**Second off, the plot bunnies are attacking the fwuff monsters and I can't do anything about it.**

**Third off, thanks for all the reviews/favorites/follows. I know I say this every single time, and this probably gets overlooked, but I really mean it. Thank you.**

**o.O**


	22. Chapter 21

"Dear little Alice. I'm afraid you've fallen into the rabbit hole again." The hands were just as cold as the first time Pitch had appeared. "Fallen right back to me."

She only sighed, leaning away from the cold hands, only to have them press deeper into her face, keeping her eyes covered with long fingers. "I doubt I came back for you."

"Well, then…" Pitch's lips were touching her ear now, "Why did you come here then?"

"If I knew, would I be talking to you?"

"To true. But…" Now she could feel his breath on her ear, "I called you here for a reason."

"Reason?"

"A warning."

"For?"

"You were born to die."

"That's… That's not true."

"Is it?" She could feel a chuckle reverberate throughout his chest against her back, "Or am I telling the truth?"

"You're a liar Pitch."

"Your parents were both infertile. And yet, you were born. And now, you're on the verge of death, medicine or not."

"I'm sick."

"Or were you? How do you know that you weren't given the sickness? And that the Guardian, namely the newest, just used it because they feel pity towards you?"

"Because I trust Jack."

"How _cute_."

"Although, it's not above my aunt to do something like give me something."

"Precisely."

"You're warning me about that?"

"No, not at all. I came to warn you that you were born to die. No matter what you do, you will die. Not matter what _anyone_ does."

She could feel him shifting behind her, "That may be so."

"You're not afraid."

"I'm not giving up without a fight."

"I was _afraid_ you'd say that."

* * *

"You do realize what's going to happen to her, right?"

"She'll die, I know."

"She's not immortal, Jack. She was born to die. And there's nothing you can do about it."

"I know!"

"Tell you what," The blackened figure clasped his hands together behind his back, "I'll make a deal with you."

"What kind of deal?"

"One that will guarantee that Alice won't die. At least for many years to pass."

"And how can you do that?"

"I'm the only one who knows how she'll die exactly. When, where, how. I am the only one who knows, and I'm prepared to strike a deal with you about it."

"I …need time to think."

"I wasn't expecting an immediate answer, considering how difficult the decision will be, leaving the Guardians and all."

"What?"

"That's my half of the deal."

He still needed time to think.

* * *

It was the sun that woke her up, coaxing her from her strange dream. The one with the man, Pitch. He kept invading her dreams, telling her nothing more than she was going to die, and that there was nothing anyone could do about it.

It was a morbid thought.

She knew it was true, but… it still scared her.

"Jack…?"

For once, he wasn't there.

Even though he said he'd always be there for her.

She was scared.

* * *

**o.O**

**Sorry it's short, but there's only a limited amount of chapters on this story.**

**…HINT…**

**Working way to the end.**

**So soorryy it's so short. Again. **

**Thanks for all the reviews/favorites/followers.**

**If you want another hint to the 'ending', ****_Wake Me Up_**** is a good Suggestion. Same artist as before.**

**O.o**


	23. Chapter 22

Jack mentally punched himself. He had forgotten his promise. The promise holding him together inside. The only thing holding him to reality, and not allowing him to float off into the world where Alice was normal, maybe even immortal like he. A winter spirit such as himself, and a place where they would have a mess of fun stirring up trouble for the cities he'd neglected for a month and a half.

He'd need to apologize to Jaime.

With that thought, he took to the skies, letting the wind take him as fast as possible back to North's workshop, knowing he'd need to explain himself to Alice.

Alice.

Why had he taken off last night after he'd woken up? He couldn't make that deal, even if it meant letting Alice live a little longer. He'd only be lying to himself if he thought that Pitch, the enemy of the Guardians, could help him. It was a long stretch. Long enough that he needed to clear his head.

Long enough that he even had taken the velvet box that he had set beside her the night before.

Which meant he could use it as an excuse when he got back.

An excuse to talk to her alone.

He stared up at the sky, watching it pass him by, telling him nothing. Other than the full moon that still lingered in the sky, it was a dead morning.  
She needed to know about him.

The beginning, the end. Everything.

He didn't know why he needed to tell her, but he did.

And the thought remained when he landed on the window sill of Alice's room. He knocked on the window, surprised when he knocked for only a few seconds before he was let in hurriedly. Alice shut the window behind him, pulling the curtain closed again.

"Found you."

"Sorry, I needed to… think." He admitted, bringing a hand up to rub the back of his neck. "I should've told you where I was going."

"It's… okay. Just had a nightmare."

So Pitch was messing with her mind too.

"Hey, I want to take you somewhere today, will you come?"

"I… don't know."

"_Please_."

"Only if you teach me… how to ice skate."

"Well, that's perfect, cuz we're going to a lake anyway." He called, a chuckle in his voice. "I wouldn't mind teaching you; it's not that hard anyway."

"But you're Jack Frost. It's gotta be easy for you."

"True, but still."

* * *

And that was how the two of them found themselves standing in the middle of the frozen lake. The one of his beginning, and the one of his end. His home if you would. He stared upward, catching sight of the still present moon. It was strange for the moon to still be out this late in the day. It was around midday already.

"This is where I woke up." Jack said quietly, his hands still not leaving Alice's warm ones. "This was the exact place where I found myself submerged in freezing cold temperatures and the moonlight. It's the only thing I can remember after all this time. The cold and the moon. It was only later that I found out that I had been someone far before I was Jack Frost."

Alice looked up, staring at his face, although he was looking around, avoiding eye contact.

"This was the place where I died as a human. I was playing with my sister when the ice started cracking. I saved her but at the cost of my own life. This lake is where I died."

"So this is a special place to you." She whispered.

"Yes, and I wanted to show this place to you, but I couldn't tell you why though."

"You just wanted me to know."

"I guess…" Jack sighed loudly, "So, who wants to learn how to skate?"

"I do!"

"Good." Jack smiled softly, running the pad of his thumb aver her hand that rested in his own. Alice mimicked how he stood now. "That's it; just keep your legs straight. If you bend your knees too much, you won't be able to skate."

The two of them were standing in the center of the pond now, bathed in moonlight. Alice shook her head, refusing to move. The majority of her clothing, being her hoodie, shorts, socks, and her newest addition: her snow white ice skates, were all quickly kissed with a light snow fall.

"I won't let you fall through. Just relax." He whispered assuredly, the smile still present on his face.

"But the ice…"

"Won't break. I froze this over again before we even got here. It won't break." He pulled her to slide a little forward. "I won't let you get hurt-"

"But _I_ will!"

A blast of obsidian sand wrapped around Alice, tearing her from his tight grasp. He fought for control, his staff madly swinging ice around and striking the black form who had invaded.

"Alice!"

The faint sound of cracking ice sounded, echoing loudly in his mind. He turned, reaching out for the small framed girl who was hanging from the edge of the ice, fighting the darkness that was dragging her into the frigid waters.

"Alice!"

"Jack!"

"No! Alice! Let her go!"

The world around him went silent as something hit him bluntly on the back of his head.

The ice was cold.

Black.

Pitch Black.

_Don't worry, Jackson._

_Everything will be alright._

_I promise…_

* * *

**o.O**

**With that, I close the first story.**

**I apologize for no good fwuff monsters in the last chapter. But I promise lots in the sequel. **

**Yes, you read that right, if you hadn't figured it out.**

**I'll be uploading the prologue to the sequel tomorrow or even as early as later tonight if you guys want. Sorry if this ending seems abrupt, but this section of the story is over with. **

**Special thanks to everyone who helped and supported this story so much. You guys made my days. **

**As always, thank you for the reviews/favorites/follows. **

**With that, Iggy Torch, out.**

**(Always wanted to do that.)**

**O.o**


	24. Extra

**Hey, I'm confusing some of ya guys by updating this story even though I'm no longer writing on it.**

** I just wanted to thank everyone who supported this story. All the reviews and the follows and all the favorites just wanted to make me continue the story until I was done. And then it made me want to continue the story in Frozen Spirit. To some it doesn't make sense to split it up, but there was a reason for it.**

** Special thanks to a few readers:**

** Hunterz263 for being the first follower.**

** Theta-McBride for all the awesome to reviews, all the way from the beginning.**

** HG59 for the ward thing nomination whatever ya wanna call it. That was a some to stumble upon. And then the review ya left after it, that was so awesome.**

** Sky of Flames for lending me some good ideas.**

** DG Veil for the fwuff that ya gave me ideas fer.**

**Cloudgirl9, anony mouse 101, and Robin-is-totally-whelming for the reviews.**

** And last but not least... Mexican and Shorty for invading my author's notes.**

** Every single one of these, I believe that I've thanked already during the updates, but I felt I needed to again.**

**This is not to say I don't care about the others who reviewed, followed, and/or favorite. I thank each and everyone of you too. You guys are epically awesome too.**

** Okay, but that wasn't the only reason I wanted to type this all up. I wanted to see if ya guys would be interested in a contest of sorts?**

** Ya see, there was an entire month and a half of unwritten story. Its obvious that Jack and Alice got closer somehow. I was thinking of holding some sort of contest to see what ya guys could come up with for that unwritten time period.**

** It was just a though...**

** What do ya guys think?**

** Can ya let me know?**

** Good idea, or just forget it?**

** O.o**


	25. Final Note

**o.O**

**This has been fun for me. Thanks to everyone who stuck through the trilogy.**

**Thanks to the ones who read to Frozen Spirit.**

**Thanks to the ones who stopped on Iced Heart.**

**You guys are awesome, don't let people say otherwise.**

**I just wanted to let everyone know the main story is done, however I still have Cold Northern Wind up (where I take request prompts or do my own) and will still be writing on it in the future.**

***Bows***

**Thanks to all of you.**

**O.o**

_Legend has it that Jack Frost is behind that feeling you get when cold air nips at your nose. Or when a blast of cold air transforms your window into a drawing board. Or the pure joy of when a school day becomes a snow day. But there's another legend about a different Frost, Lady Frost. She's said to be behind all those magical escapes when you get caught in a storm. Or when a smile of frost is on your window following a snowstorm._

_Having both Frosts together is the reason behind all the prepared snowball fight ammo appearing on the ground. Or the last snow day on a waning winter that keeps you away from school._


End file.
